HTC might be gearing up for a wider audio assault. Just days after the 606w made a pass through China's TENAA with stereo sound, a 608t cousin has made the agency rounds carrying its own pair of front speakers. If the 608t looks familiar, it should -- it's effectively a spin on the One SV body (or rather, the somewhat similar One ST from China) with both the reworked audio as well as the same navigation layout that first appeared on the One. While we can't verify rumors that the 608t will step up to Jelly Bean, a quad-core chip and an 8-megapixel rear camera, the TENAA report does show that it will include TD-SCDMA for China Mobile as well as GSM and WiFi. However subtle an upgrade the phone will be, about all that's left is for HTC to orchestrate a formal launch.
Apr. 29, 2013 ? Researchers have found a way to see synthetic nanostructures and molecules using a new type of super-resolution optical microscopy that does not require fluorescent dyes, representing a practical tool for biomedical and nanotechnology research.
"Super-resolution optical microscopy has opened a new window into the nanoscopic world," said Ji-Xin Cheng, an associate professor of biomedical engineering and chemistry at Purdue University.
Conventional optical microscopes can resolve objects no smaller than about 300 nanometers, or billionths of a meter, a restriction known as the "diffraction limit," which is defined as half the width of the wavelength of light being used to view the specimen. However, researchers want to view molecules such as proteins and lipids, as well as synthetic nanostructures like nanotubes, which are a few nanometers in diameter.
Such a capability could bring advances in a diverse range of disciplines, from medicine to nanoelectronics, Cheng said.
"The diffraction limit represents the fundamental limit of optical imaging resolution," Cheng said. "Stefan Hell at the Max Planck Institute and others have developed super-resolution imaging methods that require fluorescent labels. Here, we demonstrate a new scheme for breaking the diffraction limit in optical imaging of non-fluorescent species. Because it is label-free, the signal is directly from the object so that we can learn more about the nanostructure."
Findings are detailed in a research paper that appeared online Sunday (April 28) in the journal Nature Photonics.
The imaging system, called saturated transient absorption microscopy,or STAM,uses a trio of laser beams, including a doughnut-shaped laser beam that selectively illuminates some molecules but not others. Electrons in the atoms of illuminated molecules are kicked temporarily into a higher energy level and are said to be excited, while the others remain in their "ground state." Images are generated using a laser called a probe to compare the contrast between the excited and ground-state molecules.
The researchers demonstrated the technique, taking images of graphite "nanoplatelets" about 100 nanometers wide.
"It's a proof of concept and has great potential for the study of nanomaterials, both natural and synthetic," Cheng said.
The doughnut-shaped laser excitation technique, invented by researcher Stefan Hell, makes it possible to focus on yet smaller objects. Researchers hope to improve the imaging system to see objects about 10 nanometers in diameter, or about 30 times smaller than possible using conventional optical microscopes.
"We are not there yet, but a few schemes can be applied to further increase the resolution of our system," Cheng said.
The paper was co-authored by biomedical engineering doctoral student Pu Wang; research scientist Mikhail N. Slipchenko; mechanical engineering doctoral student James Mitchell; Chen Yang, an assistant professor of physical chemistry at Purdue; Eric O. Potma, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of California, Irvine; Xianfan Xu, Purdue's James J. and Carol L. Shuttleworth Professor of Mechanical Engineering; and Cheng.
Future research may include work to use lasers with shorter wavelengths of light. Because the wavelengths are shorter, the doughnut hole is smaller, possibly allowing researchers to focus on smaller objects.
The work will be discussed during the third annual Spectroscopic Imaging: A New Window into the Unseen World workshop on May 23 and 24 at Purdue. The workshop is hosted by the university's Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.
The research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Purdue University. The original article was written by Emil Venere.
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Journal Reference:
Pu Wang, Mikhail N. Slipchenko, James Mitchell, Chen Yang, Eric O. Potma, Xianfan Xu, Ji-Xin Cheng. Far-field imaging of non-fluorescent species with subdiffraction resolution. Nature Photonics, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nphoton.2013.97
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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Texas A&M was able to make a bold statement earlier in the postseason when ESPN?s Mark Schlabach created his 2013 Way-Too-Early Preaseason Top 25.
A&M debuted at No. 5 in his first poll and dropped to No. 4 in February. With spring football behind us, Schlabach?s latest top 25 has A&M dropping two spots to No. 6.
?There wasn?t much of a transition this spring after offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury left to become Texas Tech?s new coach,? Schlabach said. ?But defensive coordinator Mark Snyder has to replace seven starters, including star linebacker?Sean Porter?and defensive lineman?Damontre Moore.
?Junior college transfer?Tommy Sanders?should take over Porter?s spot, and Snyder hopes?Julien Obioha,?Brandon Alexander?andTyrell Taylor?can emerge as consistent pass-rushers.?
A&M?s fall was due in large part to Louisville moving into the No. 4 spot up from No. 8. To see the complete top 25, click here.
Dubai: Economic growth in Gulf Arab economies is expected to slow through next year but should still be healthy as investment in the private sector offsets an expected drop in oil prices, a Reuters poll showed yesterday.
Analysts say that for the next couple of years the Gulf will not enjoy oil prices of around $110-115 that have boosted economic growth since early 2011. Brent crude oil? slumped by more than $22 to below $100 a barrel in the two months through mid-April and has since recovered only slightly.? "For most members of Opec, they will not be able to increase production. They may even have to cut it, so they will lose revenue because of that," said Giyas Gokkent, chief economist at National Bank of Abu Dhabi. "From a demand perspective, Chinese growth seems to be slowing down because of what's happening in the euro zone. When you put all of those things together, forecasts for oil prices are for at least the next two years in a slight downtrend."
The poll of 19 analysts forecast that economic growth in Saudi Arabia, for example, would ease to 4.1 per cent in 2013 and 4.0 per cent in 2014. That would be a substantial slowdown from 6.8 per cent last year, but still count as strong growth by international standards thanks to expansion of the private sector and increased government spending.
Other members of the GCC ? the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain ? are expected to see broadly similar growth over the next two years, according to the poll.??????? ? "Underlying GCC growth in 2013 should be better than the softish forecasts suggest thanks to the solid performance of the non-oil sector," said Daniel Kaye, senior economist at National Bank of Kuwait.?
In the UAE, which has been recovering from Dubai's 2009-2010 corporate debt crisis, growth is expected to decelerate slightly to 3.3 per cent this year from an estimated 3.5 per cent in 2012, before edging up to 3.4 per cent in 2014, the poll showed.
Qatar, which is gearing up to spend some $140 billion on infrastructure before it hosts the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament, is projected to grow 5.0 per cent in both 2013 and 2014, although that would be slower than the 6.2 per cent expansion seen in 2012.
Budget surpluses The somewhat softer outlook for the world oil market is expected to take a toll on the GCC's fiscal balances, since oil and natural gas revenue provides the bulk of budget income. Saudi Arabia, the top Arab economy, has been raising budget spending by an average 14 per cent annually in the last decade. As a result, the oil price it needs to balance its budget jumped to $85 per barrel in 2013 from $38 in 2008, the International Monetary Fund has estimated.
However, assuming oil prices do not plunge into the $80s and stay there for an extended period, the bigger Gulf Arab economies are still far from slipping into the red. "Despite strongly expansionary spending, most of the GCC states will remain comfortably in surplus, with the exception being Bahrain, for which we forecast a small deficit," said Liz Martins, HSBC's senior economist for the Middle East.
In Saudi Arabia, the fiscal surplus should halve to 7.0 per cent of gross domestic product this year from 14.2 per cent in 2012, the poll showed. The 2013 forecast is slightly below the 7.1 per cent predicted by a previous Reuters poll in January. ?
Vital Stats Saudi GDP growth seen slowing to 4.1% in 2013 and 4% in 2014 But non-oil sector, state spending to support economy Budget surpluses to shrink; Saudi 2013 surplus seen halving However, most fiscal positions comfortable through 2014
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A weak human being to be overpowered, violated, and exploited?
If I were to go only by the recent news reports here in India, I?d be inclined to believe that. But is that really what a woman is? I like to think that the majority of people wouldn?t agree.
When we think of our mothers, wives, daughters, or friends, do we associate them only with a physical form? Rather, don?t we think of their warmth, gentleness, tenderness, and even their strength? Perhaps it is their unselfishness or honesty that comes to mind. Isn?t that really what womanhood is all about ? qualities that comfort, nurture, and strengthen?
Those qualities of warmth, love, and unselfishness belong to us all, irrespective of our gender. Men express these ?feminine? qualities just as women express the ?masculine? qualities of strength and courage. Through my study of Christian Science, I?ve come to understand that it is a combination of the feminine and the masculine qualities that makes up our individuality and gives us a sense of wholeness and completeness. Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, explains it this way in ?Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures?: ?Union of the masculine and feminine qualities constitutes completeness? (p. 57).
Look around you and you will see shining examples of men and women who combine these qualities perfectly. Why then have we set up these divisions, put ourselves into these little compartments of ?men must be like this? and ?women must be like that??
Much change has come to those old ways of thinking, and we are starting to break out of those compartments. Some argue that it is this breaking up that is bringing violence against women to the surface. Perhaps it is so. Perhaps it is a stirring up that is going on, bringing false ideas of both women and men to the surface so that they can be removed. False ideas that women are weak and must stay that way, or that men are strong but unable to control their bodies or their actions. It?s a wrong notion that strength can be expressed only harshly or that tenderness is equivalent to weakness. True strength is expressed gently. ?Tenderness accompanies all the might imparted by Spirit,? wrote Mrs. Eddy (Science and Health, p. 514). Gentleness is not a sign of weakness.
Much more remains to be done if we are to close the gender gap that is so evident in the recent instances of violence against women in India that have horrified the country and the world. It is really a gap in the general thought that is calling to be filled with right ideas about true manhood and womanhood ? the ideal man, God?s reflection, whom the Bible refers to in its first chapter of its first book: ?God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
This is something each of us can do because each one of us contributes to the general thought. So today, let?s claim our right ? and everyone else?s as well ? to express our wholeness, our masculinity, and our femininity. It will give a boost to the health and progress of individuals and nations as nothing else can.
You may have expected the first ever portable motion picture camera to be housed in some form of stuffy box?but in fact it was shaped like a rifle, which lends a new accuracy to the idea of shooting some film.
Invented by scientist ?tienne-Jules Marey, the Fusil Photographique?that means photographic rifle if your French isn't so hot?was first revealed back in 1882. It was made to capture images of birds in flight, and it acquired 12 images in a second, each exposed for 1/720th of a second.
The length of the gun's barrel was adjusted to change focus, before it was?quite literally?aimed at animals to shoot 12 images. Interestingly, because this device was light enough to carry by hand, Marey was able to track his subject as it moved. In a way, then, the scientists accidentally invented the concept of panning. [The History of The Discovery of Cinematography via DIY Photography via Peta Pixel]
Black pepper beef is a weeknight-quick classic Chinese stir fry. Onion, fresh ginger, red bell pepper, celery, garlic and lots of black pepper offer plenty of flavor. The Pepper Project helps Cambodian pepper farmers and communities.
By Terry Boyd,?Blue Kitchen / April 27, 2013
Black pepper beef is a classic Chinese stir fry, a quick Cantonese dish that works well as a week-night dinner.
Blue Kitchen
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One simple ingredient can often make all the difference when you?re cooking.?And now that?s more true than ever. The ingredient in this case is black pepper ? freshly ground, of course, instead of pre-ground and packed in a tin. Freshly ground peppercorns pop with flavor and fragrance, becoming a true flavor, not just background noise, and you can control the grind, from fine to coarsely cracked.
Skip to next paragraph Terry Boyd
Blue Kitchen
Terry Boyd is the author of Blue Kitchen, a Chicago-based food blog for home cooks. His simple, eclectic cooking focuses on fresh ingredients, big flavors and a cheerful willingness to borrow ideas and techniques from all over the world. A frequent contributor to the Chicago Sun-Times, his recipes have also appeared on the Bon App?tit and Saveur websites.
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And in Cambodia, the Pepper Project is making a difference, with pepper. Run by the husband and wife team Tom Gordon and Cris Peterson, the Pepper Project is a not-for-profit enterprise devoted to introducing products of Cambodia to the United States. Through the sales of these products, primarily pepper, they support fair trade for farmers as well as organizations that protect street children, disabled children and victims of sex trafficking.?
The Pepper Project imports organic peppercorns from areas in Cambodia that are approved with the United Nations Geographic Indicator designation. They purchase only from farmers who pay fair labor wages, and and donate 100 percent of their profits to Cambodian charities and projects. You can find out more about the Pepper Project and the work it does ? and purchase Kampot pepper ? at its?website (www.pepperproject.org).
Pepper from the Kampot region of southwestern Cambodia has long been prized for its delicate, bright, fruity aroma and flavor by European chefs and restaurateurs. Pepper Project?s goal is to make it readily available throughout the United States. It?s already getting some attention. Anthony Bourdain says, ?It?s got a floral dimension that?s really something special.? And at Le Bernardin in New York, executive pastry chef Michael Laiskonis has used it to flavor everything from ice cream to goat-cheese mousse. It also packs a subtle bit of heat that sneaks up on you.
The sample we received from the Pepper Project showed us what all the fuss was about. We?ve long been proponents of freshly ground pepper, but this was something more. I ground some of our go-to peppercorns into one ramekin and Kampot peppercorns into another. The fragrance alone told the story ? the Kampot peppercorns were markedly more fragrant, brighter, bolder. We couldn?t wait to cook with them.
The very nature of ADHD makes it difficult for adults with the disorder to use credit cards responsibly. ?Impulsivity, for one thing, means an adult with ADHD will see something they want and without thinking it through, will pull out their credit card and make a purchase,? according to Terry Matlen, ACSW, a psychotherapist and author of Survival Tips for Women with AD/HD.
It also doesn?t help that credit cards are so easy to use. ?Credit cards are rather intangible. They?re plastic, easy to store and don?t look like money. It?s much easier handing a card to a clerk than reaching for cash that generally has more meaning and is more concrete.?
Psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D, agreed. ?Credit cards can give the illusion that one is not really spending ?real? money.?
Plus, you get instant gratification, and the negative consequences are delayed, since your bills don?t arrive for weeks, Matlen added.
But while using credit cards is more challenging when you have ADHD, you can learn to use them responsibly. Below, Matlen and Sarkis shared their practical and realistic suggestions.
1. Use cash.
?It?s much easier to hand over a little plastic card than a wad of bills that the person worked very hard to earn,? Matlen said. Cash is tangible. ?[U]sing cash is a giant cue that there is only so much money available once some or much of it is spent.?
2. Use one credit card.
If you can?t use cash all the time, have one card for all your purchases, Matlen said. And make sure it has the lowest finance fees you can find, she said.
3. Get a credit card with full payment requirements.
Some people have a remaining balance on their credit cards each month, which leads to finance charges, said Sarkis, author of several books on adult ADHD, including 10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD.
She compared having an unpaid balance to ?taking out a high-interest loan. An item that seemed like a deal at 50 percent off may actually cost you 200 percent for the original cost if you don?t pay off your balance.? That?s why she suggested having a card like an American Express that requires paying off the full balance every month.
4. Set up automatic withdrawals.
It?s common for adults with ADHD to rack up late fees, because they forget to pay their bills. This is why having money automatically taken out of your account every month is helpful. But, as Sarkis said, you have to make sure there?s enough money in your account.
5. Set up online payments.
Another option is to pay your bill online, Matlen said. Set up reminders to help you pay on time, she said. For instance, you can create reminders in an online calendar and with alarms on your phone.
6. Create a system for bills.
If online payments aren?t possible, Matlen also suggested keeping a box or manila folder for your bills: When each bill arrives, open it, and look at the due date. Write that date on the envelope, and put the bill in your box or folder. Keep the bills in the order in which they?re due. Then, pick two days each month to pay your bills. Note those days in your calendar.
7. Have a pre-paid card.
Both experts suggested having a pre-paid card that fits your budget. ?This helps to prevent over-spending on credit cards,? Matlen said.
8. Take drastic measures.
Some readers might need to take more drastic measures. For instance, for clients whose over-spending is particularly bad, Matlen suggests ?they take their credit cards and put them in the freezer so that they aren?t so easily accessible.?
9. Give yourself a day to reconsider purchases. ?
According to Matlen, when it seems like you?re making an impulsive buy, stop and take a picture of the item instead. (Most cell phones have cameras.) Then give yourself one day to decide if you really want it.
10. Shop with a person who can keep you accountable.
?Shop with someone who can help you curb your impulsive buying,? Matlen said.
It?s common for adults with ADHD to overspend and forget to pay their bills. But while these problems are prevalent, they?re also surmountable. The key is to find a system that works for you and stick with it.
Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. is an Associate Editor at Psych Central and blogs regularly about eating and self-image issues on her own blog, Weightless.
Like this author? Catch up on other posts by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. (or subscribe to their feed).
????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 26 Apr 2013 ????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.
APA Reference Tartakovsky, M. (2013). 10 Tips for Using Credit Cards Responsibly When You Have ADHD. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 26, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/04/26/10-tips-for-using-credit-cards-responsibly-when-you-have-adhd/
In the midst of the frantic "doomsday" buzz that swept the United States right before the Mayan calendar reached the end of its 5,000-year cycle in December 2012, I was approached by a person after I had given a presentation at New York?s Hayden Planetarium. They asked:
"If there is no basis to the Mayan prophecy, then how do you explain the sun?s alignment with the center of our galaxy that is predicted to occur on Dec. 21?"?
Putting as earnest a look on my face as possible, I replied, "You?re absolutely correct ? the sun will indeed be aligned with the center of our galaxy on Dec. 21." I then quickly added, "But of course that happens every year on Dec. 21." [End of the World? Top Doomsday Fears]
The look on my inquisitor?s face was priceless. "Really? But how can that be?"
The sun's annual path
As the Earth moves around the sun, we see the sun change its position against the background stars ? a full 360-degree circle around the sky during the course of a year. That apparent path is known to astronomers as the ecliptic, the extension of the plane of Earth?s orbit out toward the sky.
As it turns out, the moon and the seven other planets that comprise the solar system also move in orbits whose planes don?t vary too greatly from that of Earth?s orbit.? As a result, the moon and the other planets also appear to stay relatively close to the ecliptic.
The sun never deviates from the ecliptic and so as Earth travels around it, from our perspective, it will always take the exact same path against the same background stars every year.
Since when we?re looking toward Sagittarius we?re also looking toward the center of the Milky Way, when the sun reaches that same point on the ecliptic in Sagittarius on Dec. 21 every year, the sun and the galaxy?s center are indeed aligned.?
The ecliptic is a very important feature because it marks "the pathway," so to speak, for the sun, moon and planets as they move across the sky. Most sky charts plot the position of the ecliptic for this reason, for it provides sky watchers with a clue as to where one or more of these objects will appear.?
Because they?re not located exactly in the same orbital plane as Earth, the moon and planets usually are not found exactly on the ecliptic line, but rather within several degrees of it. Thus, instead of a line, we find the moon and planets wandering along the sky within a band that encompasses the entire sky, which we call the zodiac.
The ecliptic runs exactly along the middle of that zodiacal band.
The 'classic 12'
The word "zodiac" is derived from the Greek, meaning "animal circle."? A sort of "celestial zoo."
And with the sole exception of one of the "classic 12" constellations that belong to the zodiac, all of the zodiac members refer to living things. Many of these constellations are named for animals, such as Leo, the Lion, Taurus, the Bull and Cancer, the Crab, just to name a few.?
The sole inanimate member is Libra, the Scales.?
All of these names can be readily identified on sky charts and are familiar to millions of horoscope users (who ? ironically ? would be hard pressed to find them in the actual sky.) [Best Beginner Astrophotography Telescopes]
If we could see the stars in the daytime, we would see the sun slowly wander from one constellation of the zodiac to the next, making one complete circle around the sky in one year.?
Ancient astrologers were able to figure out where the sun was on the zodiac by noting the last zodiacal constellation to rise ahead of the sun, or the first to set after it.? Obviously, the sun had to be somewhere in between.
Each month a specific constellation was conferred the title, "house of the sun," and in this manner each month-long period of the year was given its "sign of the zodiac."
Some discrepancies
A couple of years ago, a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society caused quite a stir when he pointed out that the zodiacal sign that had been assigned for a given month in the newspaper horoscope is not where the sun actually is for that month.
He pointed out that, in reality, today?s astrologers continue to adhere to star positions that are out of date by at least a millennium. For instance, according to astrology, you?re a Leo if you were born between July 23 and Aug. 22 because that?s the time of year where the sun supposedly is in the zodiac.?
That might have been true 1,000 years ago, but no longer.? In fact, on July 23, the sun is not in Leo, but in Cancer. This discrepancy is due to the "wobble" of the Earth?s axis (known as precession).?
As a consequence, there then came the revelation (even though it has been known by astronomers for a long time) that astrologers continue to adhere to star positions that for all intents and purposes are out of date by 10 centuries or more.
Outcasts of the zodiac
One thing that I have never been able to understand is why astrologers fail to recognize Ophiuchus, the serpent holder. He certainly should be considered as a card-carrying member of the zodiacal fraternity since the sun spends more time traversing through Ophiuchus than Scorpius.
It officially resides in Scorpius for less than a week: from Nov. 23 to 29. It then moves into Ophiuchus on Nov. 30 and remains within its boundaries for more than two weeks ? until Dec. 17.? And yet, the serpent holder is not considered a member of the Zodiac.
In addition, because the moon and planets are often positioned either just to the north or south of the ecliptic, they sometimes appear within the boundaries of several other non-zodiacal star patterns.?
The revered Belgian astronomical calculator Jean Meeus has pointed out that there are actually 22 zodiacal constellations in which the moon and some of the planets from Mercury to Neptune can occasionally enter.
In addition to the 12 classical zodiacal signs and Ophiuchus, we can also add: Auriga, the charioteer; Cetus, the whale; Corvus, the crow; Crater, the cup; Hydra, the water snake; Orion, the hunter; Pegasus, the flying horse; Scutum, the shield; and Sextans, the sextant.
And in case you?re interested, in the upcoming month, the moon will be in Orion on May 13, Sextans on May 19 and Ophiuchus on May 26.?
I guess you can say that so far as the celestial zoo is concerned, these three constellations are on the outside of the cage looking in.
Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for the New York Times and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook?and Google+. Original article on SPACE.com.
Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
MAYFLOWER, Ark. (AP) -- A group that's critical of the oil spill in central Arkansas from an Exxon Mobil Corp. pipeline is holding a meeting to mark the one-month anniversary of the accident.
The group Arkansans Concerned about Oil Pipelines is to gather at 6 p.m. Monday at Pearce Park in Mayflower.
Thousands of gallons of oil spilled into a cove off Lake Conway and more than 20 homes had to be evacuated.
Environmental testing has shown no oil has leaked into Lake Conway, but hazardous fumes have been registered in the evacuated area, where the cleanup continues.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- Assembly Republicans are renewing their opposition to a plan being pushed by some Senate colleagues to seek a 10 percent tax on Nevada's gold and silver mine operators.
"Members of the Assembly Republican caucus, many of whom represent areas of the state where mining is a vital partner in their local communities, are not anxious to single out the mining industry at a time when Nevada's economy is still trying to recover," Assemblyman James Oscarson, R-Pahrump, said in statement released late Thursday.
Six senators led by Minority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Henderson, are proposing a ballot question to raise the mining tax as an alternative to a 2 percent business tax that will be on the 2014 ballot.
The business tax option was an initiative backed by the Nevada State Education Association and other labor groups that gathered more than 150,000 signatures to send the matter to the 2013 Legislature. Legislators failed to act on it within 40 days as required by law, automatically sending it to voters next year.
Backers of that tax say it would raise $800 million annually for education.
Senate Republicans said their plan, which has yet to be introduced as a bill, would raise $600 million during the two-year budget cycle to fund education. It would be contingent upon ultimate approval of SJR15 to remove the mining industry's 5 percent tax cap on net proceeds that is in the state constitution. That resolution has cleared the Senate and awaits action the Assembly, where passage is likely. It would then go to voters in 2014 for ratification.
Without the support of Assembly Republicans and Gov. Brian Sandoval, it's questionable whether the Senate Republicans' plan will advance.
"Given Nevada's still high unemployment numbers, now would not be a good time to propose a tax that more than doubles the tax burden on a single industry that has been one of the state's strongest job creators," said Assemblyman John Ellison, R-Elko.
Tim Crowley, president of the Nevada Mining Association, has said the industry would support efforts to broaden the state's tax base and called the targeting of a specific industry "short-sighted."
Assembly Republicans agree, saying legislators "should be looking at tax policies that are both broad and equitable and mitigate the financial burden on businesses and individuals."
Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey, R-Reno, said if voters approve SJR15 next year, then lawmakers in 2015 "will decide if and how mining taxes should be reset."
We here at TechnoBuffalo?s gaming department are nothing but a pack of filthy cheaters. Well, we were cheaters back when cheating was a cool trick to show off to your friends during awesome weekend sleepovers.
We fondly remember employing a lot of special tricks to advance and goof around in the games of yesterday, so we decided to list our favorites. Our 10 favorites, in fact.
Here are Ron and Joey?s 10 favorite cheats from way back when.
Attacking Your Own Guys to Level Up ? Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics rewards you for absolutely every successful action you take, giving points to advance your jobs skills. More often than not, that ability you really want is just out of reach, and there are just not enough enemies on the map to guarantee those final few points.
How do you make it so you won?t have to fight another battle?
Well, attack your friends of course. Indeed, you are rewarded for every completed action in Final Fantasy Tactics, and that includes attacking your allies. In fact, it?s often best to leave some weak little puke running around the stage while you and your best buddies hammer away at each other for a good 10-15 rounds.
You can have an army capable of bringing down every enemy in the game, and you won?t have even left the first battle if your cards are played right.
-Ron
Fly the KOELSCH Buick Electra ? Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
I?m almost positive that I read about this code back in an old issue of Nintendo Power. I?m not 100% sure, but I think I was inspired to fly a Buick in one of the Nintendo 64?s best Star Wars games by one of my favorite old gaming rags.
At the code entry screen in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, enter KOELSCH. Head back to your ship hanger and you?ll find a 1969 Buick Electra.
It flies, it fights and it?s awesome. This is probably one of my favorite cheats in any game since ever. It?s so goofy to see a car that Uncle Buck should have driven, though I believe his was a Mercury, flying in around planets in the Star Wars galaxy.
-Joey
Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff ? NBA Jam TE
I grew up playing a lot, and I mean a lot, of both NBA Jam and NBA Jam TE when I was a kid. One of the best parts of both games was the ability to unlock special ballers from the name entry screen. My two favorites were Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
The two characters are unlocked by typing in JAZ and WIL at the name entry screen in the game, the it requires gamers to hold a series of special buttons in order for it to work.
The result? The two-on-two action now involves two of the biggest TV and music celebrities from the early 90s. NBA Jam was an exceptional game. NBA Jam TE wasn?t nearly as strong as the first outing, but the presence of Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff alone was enough to lift the sequel to new heights.
From downtown!
-Joey
The Gold PP7 ? GoldenEye 007
GoldenEye is home to a slew of wonderful cheats. Invincibility, Paintball Mode, DK Mode, Dual Grenade Launchers. Unlocking cheats through speed runs was a genius idea, new at the time, which helped turn GoldenEye into one of the most replayable FPSs ever made.
I mean, why bother to unlock a cheat if you can?t use it permanently?
One of the best cheats is actually one of the easiest to unlock. The Gold PP7 is a special modified version of James Bond?s classic handgun, only this one will kill any enemy with a single bullet.
To get it, all you have to do is beat the final mission, Cradle, in under 2:15 on the easiest mode. Might seem like not that much time, but this was back when levels weren?t drawn out to a snails pace.
-Ron
The Hadouken ? Mega Man X
This cheat is just cool. During the Super Nintendo days, Capcom had two major hits on their hands, Street Fighter 2 and Mega Man X.
How about if you combine the two together? A little known fifth portal could also be uncovered after uncovering the rest of the game?s power-ups. A well placed jump just above the gate leading to Armored Armadillo and the subsequent climb reveal a the secret portal.
A bandana-toting Dr. Light then gives X the ability to use Ryu?s signature move, the Hadouken, using the exact same d-pad roll command used in the Street Fighter games.
The timing for using the weapon is a little tough, but it kills every enemy in the game with a single blast. Except for Sigma?he takes two.
-Ron
The Healing Massage ? Punch-Out!!
I still play Punch-Out!! for the NES on a semi-regular basis, so this little trick is something I actually use to this very day.
In between rounds, as fans of this classic game know, the trainer will give you some tips for the current bout. If you rapidly press select during this screen, the trainer will actually give Mac a shoulder rub that gives him some of his lost energy.
The problem? This only works once per game, so use it wisely.
-Joey
IDDQD? ?Degreelessness Mode? - DOOM
The idea of God Mode has been around for quite some time, and DOOM was one of the first to successfully implement it. What?s the point in beating a game when you have absolutely no possible way of losing?
Well, the point is to feel like a total murder factory, of course. IDDQD is an unforgettable code which lets indiscriminately plow through all those demon?s who gave you such a hard time if playing the game honestly.
Combined with the classic IDKFA code, all weapons and key cards, DOOM suddenly becomes a game about just straight-up massacre rather than one of exploration and uncovering secrets amongst the massacre.
-Ron
The Konami Code ? Gradius, Contra and Much More
The grandaddy of all cheat codes, if there?s one cheat that?s managed to infiltrate the world of pop culture at large, it?s this one. The Konami Code.
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start. Sound familiar? If it doesn?t, don?t let the door hit ya on the way out.
While it was originally used in Gradius, the Konami Code was made popular in Contra, one of the hardest games ever released for the NES. Inputting it gave the players 30 lives, and they?d need all 30 to beat the game. Since then, it?s been used in games and even on websites. Don?t bother trying it here, my suggestion for it hasn?t been implemented yet.
-Joey
Stealth Suit ? Metal Gear Solid
Quick, what is the one piece of equipment that can make a stealth game so much easier? Well, a stealth suit, obviously.
Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima was smart enough to realize that what gamers really want to do in the ultimate stealth playground is torment the poor souls you are supposed to be killing. A simple bullet is not enough.
Traps, decoys, the random taps on a shoulder. It all becomes so much easier once Snake dawns this marvelous piece of equipment. The enemy won?t even know what hit them.
The only downside to the stealth suit is that you?ll have to go for the non-canonical ending and ride off into the sunset with your new best buddy, Otacon, instead of the cute red-head. Oh well?New Game +!
-Ron
The Super Jump ? Mega Man 3
Here?s an interesting little self-discovered secret my cousins and I uncovered back in the day. Hold down the RIGHT directional button on the second player controller while playing Mega Man 3, and the Blue Bomber suddenly gains the ability to jump three times as high as he normally would, as if normal air were water.
Not only can he jump higher, but he is also invulnerable to damage after falling into a pit. The classic death sound effect plays, but Mega Man can humorously launch himself from the pit anyway and proceed throughout the level invulnerable to his enemies.
In fact, the only thing which can kill you while in this Super Jump God Mode form is spikes, so be absolutely careful not to jump too high. Shadow Man?s stage stands out in my memory.
From an end user's perspective, it's always nice to see developers take a step back and focus on streamlining their code, rather than simply piling on new features. Apple used the strategy to great success with Snow Leopard, and now Canonical is set to follow suit with Raring Ringtail, also known as Ubuntu 13.04. The latest version of the popular Linux distro is set for general availability tomorrow, which follows a beta release and a controversial amount of secrecy. Raring Ringtail is characterized as "the fastest and most visually polished Ubuntu experience to date," with a particular emphasis on a smaller memory footprint and greater responsiveness. Much of the streamlining effort was in preparation for Ubuntu's future life in mobile, and to coincide with that effort, developers will find a preview SDK for app development and the ability to test apps within the MIR display server. The release is now a mere hours away, and yes, it'll be a good day.
Editor's note: This is part four in a series of introductory pieces on watches from our friends at Hodinkee. You can read part one here, part two here and part three here.More »
There’s no doubt most celebrities are pretty darn good looking, but the apple didn’t fall from the tree when it comes to their equally-attractive siblings. Let’s take a look at Hollywood celebrities and their attractive siblings! Beyonce Knowles and sister Solange Knowles Beyonce is a household name but her younger sister Solange Knowles is also ...
With the news that Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) will not run for reelection in 2014, the Senate is losing one of its most unapologetic fundraisers.
Baucus openly relied on lobbyists -- not viewed kindly by the public or the Obama White House -- as key sources of campaign cash. According to CRP data, Baucus took in more than $1 million in campaign contributions from lobbyists since 1990, and $565,000 from individual lobbyists in the 2012 cycle alone.
As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Baucus ranked as one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress and had a hand in much of the signature legislation of Obama's presidency -- most notably the health care overhaul known as the Affordable Care Act. He also teamed up with Republicans in the Bush administration to rewrite Medicare prescription drug rules -- a move that pharmaceutical companies apparently viewed happily, with that industry being his sixth largest source of cash ($950,000) since 1990.? Overall, lawyers and law firms, which give heavily to nearly all Democrats, were Baucus' biggest source of campaign funds since 1990, giving him at least $1.82 million. The securities and investment
industry is close behind, having provided him $1.79 million.
Lobbyists,
pharmaceutical and medical companies and the securities and investment
industry were so dominant in Baucus' fundraising that 19 of the top 20 organizations
that provided the most money to Baucus -- either through individuals
affiliated with the groups or via PACs -- were all lobbying firms, Wall
Street firms, pharmaceutical companies or medical device manufacturers.?
And Baucus had close ties to many on K Street -- dozens of his former staffers became registered lobbyists. In fact, according to CRP data, 37 former Baucus staffers became registered lobbyists, making his office the second biggest supplier of K Street revolving door lobbyists among current members of Congress (Kentucky GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell is the leader on that front). Baucus' close ties to lobbyists seem to have come into play on several occasions recently -- a slew of tax breaks worked into the "fiscal cliff" legislation passed in early January were written into the law by Baucus, and seemed directly to benefit the clients of a number of his former staffers-turned-lobbyists.
Wait, what inventory shortage? US Cellular doesn't seem to have any issue with getting the Samsung Galaxy S 4 on its retail and virtual shelves -- it confirmed to us in an email that it will begin selling the flagship device on April 30th. You'll be able to purchase the 16GB version in either white or black for $199 with a two-year commitment. If you didn't get in on the pre-order, now's your chance to get hooked up.
Corpse Party: Blood Drive is heading to PS Vita, according to Famitsu. The game is said to be a continuation of Corpse Party: Book of Shadows? 8th chapter, entitled ?Blood Drive?. Fancy that.
Siliconera reports that the Famitsu details suggest the game will conclude the storyline of Heavenly Host Elementary School, is out this year in Japan and will be published by 5pb.
Famitsu?s story summary is as follows, ?Are the terrible events that occurred in the Shinozaki family, home to both Yoshie and Sachiko, an omen of a new tragedy? After Sachiko?s departure, Heavenly Host was thought to have collapsed. However, because of a master of a greater power, the power of its curse has expanded.
?Finally, the countless mysteries surrounding Heavenly Host Elementary School will be revealed. Will it be possible to bring back the friends cruelly killed within the school??!?
Interesting stuff. Are you keen on more Corpse Party? Let us know below.
New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith, right, drives past Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green (8) during the first half of Game 1 in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs at Madison Square Garden in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith, right, drives past Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green (8) during the first half of Game 1 in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs at Madison Square Garden in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
A person with knowledge of the voting results tells The Associated Press that J.R. Smith has won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award.
The Knicks have called an afternoon news conference at which Smith will be given the award, the person tells the AP on condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made.
The eighth-year guard has averaged 18.1 points in 80 games, all off the bench. He had 29 games in which he scored 20 points as a reserve, tying him with the Clippers' Jamal Crawford for the NBA lead.
Smith helped the Knicks win the Atlantic Division title for the first time since 1994. New York is the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and leads the Boston Celtics 1-0 in their first-round playoff series.
LONDON (Reuters) - The Japanese yen weakened toward 100 to the dollar on Monday and shares rose after the G20 accepted Japan's bold stimulus policies, helping to counter the gloom over the global growth outlook.
U.S. stock index futures also pointed to a higher open on Wall Street, where the focus is on quarterly corporate results and whether these suggest further weakness ahead. <.n/>
In its communique after a two-day meeting, the G20 avoided any direct criticism of Japan's policies and appeared to accept the need to reflate the world's third largest economy as part of efforts to invigorate a shaky global economic recovery.
Major world central banks have been holding interest rates at rock-bottom levels since 2008 while pumping over $6 trillion into their banking systems through loans and asset-purchase operations with only modest success so far.
"The real issue of deflation in Japan has to be tackled before we can have a genuine global recovery," said James Bevan, chief investment Officer at CCLA Investment Management.
The G20's actions removed any remaining obstacles to further yen weakness, setting up a test of the symbolic 100 yen to the dollar level and boosting demand for Japanese stocks.
"Japan not only escaped criticism, but on the contrary won praise as a country that was fulfilling its global obligations," said Marshall Gittler, head of global FX strategy at IronFX.
"That is in effect the green light for the BOJ's easing, which we expect will push USD/JPY through the magic 100 number in the not-too-distant future - perhaps as early as today."
The dollar was at 99.75 yen, off an intraday high of 99.90 and just below a four-year peak of 99.95 hit on April 11.
The euro also rose against the yen, reaching 130.70 from around 129.98 late on Friday, near a three-year peak of 131.10 set earlier this month.
Against the dollar, the euro eased slightly to $1.3040 after touching a session high of $1.3130 on Friday. The euro, which failed to break above $1.32 recently, has been stuck in a $1.30/32 range for the past week.
ITALIAN RESOLUTION
European stock markets were on course for a second straight daily gain, helped up by a jump in Italy's blue-chip index after the country's long-running political crisis moved a step closer to resolution.
Milan's FTSE MIB index <.ftmib> gained as much as 2 percent on hopes the re-election of Italy's 87-year old president Giorgio Napolitano would see a new government emerge within days, ending two months of political stalemate.
The broad FTSEurofirst 300 index <.fteu3> was up 0.8 percent at 1,162 points at midday, while Paris's CAC-40 <.fchi> and Frankfurt's DAX <.gdaxi> were about 0.75 percent higher. <.eu/>
MSCI's world equity index <.miwd00000pus> gained 0.25 percent, in part due to the better tone seen earlier in Asia when Japan's Nikkei hit its highest level in five years <.n225> as the yen weakened after the G20 statement.
In the debt market Italian 10-year bond yields dropped to near their lowest levels in two years at 4.08 percent in response to the political resolution, while safe-haven equivalent German bonds were steady at 1.24 percent.
Traders had not expected a big move in German bonds as the market is awaiting key surveys on European purchasing managers' activity in April, due on Tuesday. These are likely to show the euro zone remains mired in recession, increasing the chance of a rate cut by the European Central bank.
COMMODITIES SHAKY
In the commodity markets gold rebounded from its sharp sell-off last week, though sentiment remained shaky after the precious metal posted its biggest-ever daily loss in dollar terms last Monday.
The spot gold price rose more than 2 percent at one point to a high of $1,436.70 an ounce, well above the two-year low of $1,321.35 touched last week.
U.S. gold futures hit a high of 1,434.50 an ounce, up 2.8 percent from the previous close of 1,395.60.
Oil also rebounded, extending its gains into a third day as low prices brought buyers back into the market following sharp drops earlier in the month due to the worries about the growth outlook and its impact on demand.
Brent has lost 10 percent since the start of April as growth in the United States and China - the world's two largest oil consumers - slowed while recession in Europe deepened.
June Brent crude rose $1 a barrel to $100.65, while U.S. crude for June delivery gained 65 cents to $88.65 a barrel after a 3.6 percent loss last week.
"This is more bargain-hunting than anything else. People are getting back in the market, but that may not be sustained depending on the (economic) data this week," said Simon Wardell, an analyst at Global Insight.
(Additional reporting by Anooja Debnath. Editing by Anna Willard and Will Waterman)
The very nature of ADHD makes it difficult for adults with the disorder to use credit cards responsibly. ?Impulsivity, for one thing, means an adult with ADHD will see something they want and without thinking it through, will pull out their credit card and make a purchase,? according to Terry Matlen, ACSW, a psychotherapist and author of Survival Tips for Women with AD/HD.
Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. is an Associate Editor at Psych Central and blogs regularly about eating and self-image issues on her own blog, Weightless.
There’s no doubt most celebrities are pretty darn good looking, but the apple didn’t fall from the tree when it comes to their equally-attractive siblings. Let’s take a look at Hollywood celebrities and their attractive siblings! Beyonce Knowles and sister Solange Knowles Beyonce is a household name but her younger sister Solange Knowles is also ...
Baucus openly relied on lobbyists -- not viewed kindly by the public or the Obama White House -- as key sources of campaign cash. According to CRP data, Baucus took in more than $1 million in campaign contributions from lobbyists since 1990, and $565,000 from individual lobbyists in the 2012 cycle alone.
